They bind the unoffending creature's brows | The dews of morn, or April's tender shower? With happy garlands of the pure white Stroke merciful and welcome would that be Which should extend thy branches on the ground, rose; This done, a festal company unite In choral song; and, while the uplifted cross Of Jesus goes before, the child is borne Uncovered to his grave. Her piteous loss The lonesome mother cannot choose but mourn; Yet soon by Christian faith is grief subdued, And joy attends upon her fortitude. If never more within their shady round Those lofty-minded law-givers shall meet, Peasant and lord, in their appointed seat, Guardians of Biscay's ancient liberty. WE can endure that he should waste our lands, flame FEELINGS OF A NOBLE BISCAYAN AT Despoil our temples, and by sword and Return us to the dust from which we came ; Such food a tyrant's appetite demands: YET, yet, Biscayans! we must meet our And we can brook the thought that by his foes With firmer soul, yet labour to regain than vain To gather round the bier these festal shows. Descend on all that issues from our blood. THE OAK OF GUERNICA. The ancient oak of Guernica, says Laborde in his account of Biscay, is the most venerable natural monument. Ferdinand and Isabella, in the year 1476, after hearing mass in the Church of Santa Maria de la Antigua, repaired to this tree, under which they swore to the Biscayans to maintain their fueros (privileges). What other interest belongs to it in the minds of this people will appear from the following SUPPOSED ADDRESS TO THE SAME. 1810. OAK of Guernica! Tree of holier power Than that which in Dodona did enshrine (So faith too fondly deemed) a voice divine, Heard from the depths of its aërial bower, How canst thou flourish at this blighting hour? [to thee, What hope, what joy can sunshine bring Or the soft breezes from the Atlantic sea, hands Spain may be overpowered, and he possess, For his delight, a solemn wilderness, Where all the brave lie dead. But when of bands, Which he will break for us, he dares to speak, Of benefits, and of a future day When our enlightened minds shall bless his sway, [weak; Then, the strained heart of fortitude proves Our groans, our blushes, our pale cheeks declare [strength to bear. That he has power to inflict what we lack AVAUNT all specious pliancy of mind swerve; Affections, which, if put to proof, are kind; And piety towards God. Such men of old Were England's native growth; and, throughout Spain, Forests of such do at this day remain; Then for that country let our hopes be bold; For matched with these shall policy prove vain, (gold. Her arts, her strength, her iron, and her 1810. O'ERWEENING statesmen have full long relied On fleets and armies, and external wealth: But from within proceeds a nation's health; | In one who lived unknown a shepherd's life Which shall not fail, though poor men cleave with pride To the paternal floor; or turn aside, THE FRENCH AND THE SPANISH GUERILLAS. blast HUNGER, and sultry heat, and nipping [by night From bleak hill-top, and length of march Through heavy swamp, or over snow-clad height, [past, These hardships ill sustained, these dangers The roving Spanish bands are reached at last, [flight Charged, and dispersed like foam; but as a Of scattered quails by signs to reunite, So these, and, heard of once again, are chased With combinations of long-practised art And newly-kindled hope; but they are fled, Gone are they, viewless as the buried dead; Where now?-Their sword is at the foe[thwart, And thus from year to year his walk they And hang like dreams around his guilty man's heart! bed. Redoubted Viriatus breathes again; And bloodshed, longed in quiet to be laid space; 1811. THE power of armies is a visible thing, Formal, and circumscribed in time and [trace But who the limits of that power shall Which a brave people into light can bring Or hide, at will,-for freedom combating, By just revenge inflamed? No foot may chase, No eye can follow to a fatal place That power, that spirit, whether on the wing [wind Like the strong wind, or sleeping like the Within its awful caves.-From year to year Springs this indigenous produce far and No craft this subtle element can bind, Rising like water from the soil, to find every nook a lip that it may cheer. In near; 1811. HERE pause: the poet claims at least this praise, That virtuous liberty hath been the scope Of his pure song which did not shrink from hope In the worst moment of these evil days; From hope, the paramount duty that Heaven lays, [heart. For its own honour, on man's suffering For whose dire ends tears flow, and blood is Whom hardy Rome was fearful to oppose, fled. * See Laborde's character of the Spanish people: from him the sentiment of these last two lines is taken. HUMANITY, delighting to behold A fond reflection of her own decay, • Sertorius. Hath painted winter like a traveller-old, Propped on a staff-and, through the sullen day, In hooded mantle, limping o'er the plain, As though his weakness were disturbed by pain: Or, if a juster fancy should allow For he it was-dread winter! who beset, Flinging round van and rear his ghastly net, That host,-when from the regions of the pole They shrunk, insane ambition's barren goal, That host, as huge and strong as e'er defied Their God, and placed their trust in human pride! As fathers persecute rebellious sons, He smote the blossoms of their warrior youth; He called on frost's inexorable tooth Life to consume in manhood's firmest hold; Nor spared the reverend blood that feebly runs; For why, unless for liberty enrolled And sacred home, ah! why should hoary age be bold? Fleet the Tartar's reinless steed, But fleeter far the pinions of the wind, Which from Siberian caves the monarch freed, [kind. And sent him forth, with squadrons of his And bade the snow their ample backs bestride, And to the battle ride. No pitying voice commands a halt, No courage can repel the dire assault; Distracted, spiritless, benumbed, and blind, Whole legions sink—and, in one instant, [descry, Burial and death: look for them-and When morn returns, beneath the clear blue sky, find A soundless waste, a trackless vacancy! ON THE SAME OCCASION. YE storms, resound the praises of your king! And ve mild seasons-in a sunny clime, Midway on some high hill, while father Time Looks on delighted-meet in festal ring, And loud and long of winter's triumph sing! Sing ye, with blossoms crowned, and fruits, and flowers, [showers, Of winter's breath surcharged with sleety By Moscow self-devoted to a blaze The unfeeling elements no claim shall raise Of Providence. But now did the Most Exalt his still small voice;-to quell that host Gathered his Power, a manifest Ally; He whose heaped waves confounded the proud boast Of Pharaoh, said to Famine, Snow, and Frost, Finish the strife by deadliest victory! NOVEMBER, 1813. OCCASIONED BY THE BATTLE OF [flow Inscription.) Now that all hearts are glad, all faces (The last six lines are intended for an Through perilous war, with regal fortitude, The triumphs of this hour; for they are INTREPID Sons of Albion! not by you Heroes! for instant sacrifice prepared, the day: "When the Austrians took Hockheim, them into the water." OCCASIONED BY THE SAME BATTLE. THE bard, whose soul is meek as dawning Laudes, quam clarius indicant Pierides; neque Si chartæ sileant quod bene feceris, Mercedem tuleris."-HOR. Car. 8, Lib. 4. WHEN the soft hand of sleep had closed the latch On the tired household of corporeal sense, And Fancy, keeping unreluctant watch, Was free her choicest favours to dispense; I saw, in wondrous pérspective displayed, A landscape more august than happiest skill Of pencil ever clothed with light and shade; An intermingled pomp of vale and hill, City, and naval stream, suburban grove, And stately forest where the wild deer rove; "From all this world's encumbrance did himself assoil."-SPENSER. Opening before the sun's triumphant eye, "Though from my celestial home, summer gave Have perished in the field; [yield But the green thickets plenteously shall Fit garlands for the brave, That will be welcome, if by you entwined! Haste, virgins, haste ;-and you, ye matrons |